Inside Naru - ACA Investigation1:01

A Current Affair goes inside Naru to see how asylum seekers are living. Courtesy: Nine Network

June 20th 2016

2 years ago

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Asylum seekers and refugees at the daily protests on Nauru.
Source: A Current AffairSource:Channel 9

IT was billed as the footage that would stun Australia — certainly the fact that they got access to film it stunned A Current Affair — and reaction to ACA’s exclusive story in Nauru tonight ranged from stunned to cynical.

The story — the first time a television crew had been allowed inside the Australian-run regional processing centre on the Pacific island nation of Nauru — raised fresh claims of sexual assault, rape, poor living conditions, overcrowding, beatings, crime, poor medical testament and poor education for those both in and outside the facility.

It also featured Nauru President Baron Waqa’s first television interview — with the picture painted by him and Justice Minister David Adeang significantly different to that told by those in the centre.

“Sometimes refugees have their own ideas of where they want to settle, but we all know that Australia is out of the question,” said President Waqa.

“There are some of those who want to be elsewhere and it’s not easy.”

ACA took pains to establish there were no conditions on their visit. Host Tracy Grimshaw told viewers the Australian Government had nothing to do with the access — and in fact didn’t know ACA had been granted access until the crew was on the ground in Nauru.

They're free to come and go between prison and neighbourhoods of people that hate them. How free! #nauru#aca

Returning fire on Grimshaw described as “unflattering speculation about how we got access to and why we got access to Nauru”, journalist Caroline Marcus said: “The Australian Government had no idea we were planning to visit, or had embarked on the visit.”

“It was a few hours into our first day on Nauru when (Immigration Minister) Peter Dutton called to find out what the media crew was doing on the island,” she said.

Marcus also addressed reports that government and police escorts controlled what the crew saw.

“There were no conditions on our visit, whatsoever. We were escorted by a government official to some of the sensitive sites, such as the detention centres, we would not have been able to get access otherwise,” she said.

Look, it wasn't the best report on #Nauru (too many claims went unchallenged) but it still showed state of camps & asylum seeker's stories..

No undertakings were given to Nauru’s government about favourable coverage. Marcus said.

“We went in, we did the story we wanted to do, and had access to everything.”

The report chronicled living conditions in the centre — in both asylum-seeker and refugee quarters, with emotions ranging from bewildered, helpless and tired, to angry and afraid.

Most said while life had improved slightly since new facilities were added in the camps earlier this year, they still feared police and the locals.

“You make a nice prison, it’s still a prison. I feel like an animal,” said one.

A woman said she had married — not because she wanted to — but in order to feel safer.

The observation that those in the camps are ‘free to leave at any time’ — subject to security checks, raised the ire of some viewers.

Refugee units at Nauru.
Source: A Current AffairSource:Channel 9

“They’re free to come and go between prison and neighbourhoods of people that hate them. How free!” said Kate Murray on Twitter.

For many, that made it even more grating that comments from President Waqa that refugees were “well looked after”, and from Mr Adeang that many of the reports from refugees and asylum-seeker of assaults were “false or exaggerated” and went unchallenged.

“I’m not sure what they’re complaining about except the fact they’re not in Australia,” said Mr Adeang.

An asylum seeker airs his frustration.
Source: A Current AffairSource:Channel 9

In the other Twitter camp were the likes of Annoyed: “#ACurrentAffair #refugees #Nauru Ungrateful whingeing human beings — Get back on your boats and go to one of the other 195 countries!!!”.

“They’re not locked up there,” he said, referring to the inmates’ protesting behind fences. “They take pictures behind the fence then they walk out.”

“They should be ashamed of themselves, calling Nauru ‘hell’.”

In the men’s camp, conditions appeared worst — cramped, mouldy tents without any relief from the heat, fanning the flames of anger and frustration towards both the locals and the Australian Government.

“All the people is crazies here, three years here, said one asylum seeker.

ACA beat a string of media organisations to gain access to Nauru, breaking a media blackout at the detention centre. The Nauru government charges media a non-refundable $8000 visa application fee. Since the centre opened, only one journalist had previously legally reported from the island — The Australian’sChris Kenny.